An institution doesn't die. It reinvents itself.
From a small accordion shop in Little Italy to one of Montreal's most beloved music schools — this is the story of a family legacy that refused to fade.
60+ years
of musical heritage
4,200+
students since 2016
400+
active every week
25
academically trained teachers
Italmelodie: where it all began
In the late 1950s, a small music shop opened its doors at 16 rue Jean-Talon Ouest, in the heart of Montreal's Little Italy. The owners of Italmelody didn't just sell instruments — they also ran an agency that sent musicians to play at events across the city.
Flavio Zeffiro was one of those musicians. A factory worker during the week, he played accordion on weekends through the Italmelody agency. With every visit to the shop, his dream grew: one day, this business would be his. In the early-to-mid 1970s, he left the factory and bought Italmelody — turning a dream into reality.
What started as a shop importing Italian accordions quickly became much more than a store. In the early 1980s, the business moved to 274 rue Jean-Talon Est and became Italmelodie. The Zeffiro brothers had a habit of doing product demonstrations — creating an atmosphere customers never forgot.
Over the decades, Italmelodie grew into one of Montreal's largest music retailers: 130 employees, two locations, a multi-million-dollar inventory spanning grand pianos to drum kits, an integrated music school, plus rental and repair services. More than a business — a neighbourhood institution.
The sales team included gifted musicians who regularly performed for customers, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The store hosted workshops and meet-and-greets with renowned guest artists — captivating customers and staff alike, and leaving behind signed instruments and memorabilia.
“It was more than a store — it was an institution.”
— A former Italmelodie piano tuner
Flavio Zeffiro in front of Italmelody at 16 Jean-Talon Ouest — a weekend musician, dreaming of the day the business would be his
From a dream to an institution
The journey from Italmelody to Italmelodie — three moments from the same story.
The new Italmelodie store at 274 Jean-Talon Est — the start of an expansion that would last decades
The Italmelodie showroom — a landmark for Montreal musicians for nearly 50 years
The end — and a new beginning
In February 2016, after nearly 50 years, Italmelodie, an institution that catered to generations of musicians, locally and internationally, closed its doors. Letting the legacy fade into the dustbins of history was not an option for Johnny Zeffiro, Flavio's youngest son.
Determined to keep the legacy alive, he teamed up with Ron Harris — former director of the Italmelodie music school, himself a seasoned musician and businessman — to launch École de musique du Marché. The name is a nod to the adjacent historic Jean-Talon Market in the heart of Montreal's Little Italy. A rebranding with the same mission was born: fostering community connection through music.
Ron Harris & Johnny Zeffiro — carrying on the legacy together
From zero to 400 — and just getting started
Starting over from almost nothing means rebuilding every relationship, every student, one at a time. First 100 students. Then 200. Then 300. Today, over 400 active students walk through our doors every week.
25 academically trained teachers, supported by a dedicated admin team of fellow musicians who understand exactly what music students need. 4,200+ students welcomed since 2016. 12 practice rooms. Lessons for every age — from 3-year-olds to 78-year-olds. No contract, no pressure.
Every mid-December, the school hosts its annual Christmas concert at the Casa d'Italia community centre — a highly anticipated event that fills the hall with over 100 students of all ages and skill levels, playing a diverse range of instruments and repertoire for their friends and family. The clearest proof that the spirit of Italmelodie lives on: music as a force that gathers a community together, in the neighbourhood where it all began.
Ron Harris, the direct link to the Italmelodie legacy, is still involved on a part-time basis in semi-retirement. The institution changed its name, but the soul remains the same: a warm place where music is accessible to everyone, in the neighbourhood where it was born.
288 Jean-Talon Est — the same neighbourhood, the same soul
“The institution changed its name, but the soul remains the same: a warm place where music is accessible to everyone, in the neighbourhood where it was born.”
— Johnny Zeffiro, Founder
The story continues — with you.
Join the 400+ students keeping this musical legacy alive every week.